We’re now into the second week of the NFL season and have already been surprised both positively and negatively by some teams, some showing vulnerabilities and others showing their backfields may be more committee-led than expected.
We dive in with our best first touchdown NFL picks and Week 2 touchdown props below.
Harry Kane s pivotal penalty miss in England s World Cup defeat against France is fuelling his desire to win trophies.
The Three Lions crashed out at the quarter-final stage in Qatar after Kane hammered an 84th-minute penalty over the crossbar with England 2-1 down against the eventual runners-up.
Kane has scored three Premier League goals in as many games since returning to club side Tottenham, as he looks to put his World Cup disappointment behind him.
The striker netted twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Wednesday, moving him to 264 goals for Spurs and within two of the club s all-time record goalscorer Jimmy Greaves.
Kane says his penalty miss still haunts him, but he hopes those bad memories can spur him on to success in the future.
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Russia s sports minister has attacked politicians demands to block athletes from the country competing at the Olympic Games in Paris next year.
Oleg Matytsin said it was absolutely unacceptable for governments to attempt to influence the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
His reaction on Saturday followed Lithuanian sports minister Jurgita Siugzdiniene announcing there was a unanimous view from a group of around 35 countries that athletes from Russia and Belarus should be banned from the Paris 2024 Games.
The stance comes amid the invasion of Ukraine, with ministers from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Australia, reportedly opposing Russian and Belarusian athletes being allowed to take part, even under a neutral flag…
Pep Guardiola thinks it is crazy for Manchester City to think about catching Liverpool – although his declaration that the Premier League title race was over following his side s 4-1 victory at Burnley was laced with sarcasm.
City headed to Turf Moor on a run of one win in five matches across all competitions, but last season s domestic treble winners looked something like their old selves as a fine Gabriel Jesus double set up a commanding triumph.
Rodri s blistering strike from outside the area was the pick of the bunch and substitute Riyad Mahrez also got in on the act before Robbie Brady netted a late consolation for the hosts.
The result brought City back to within eight points of Premier League leaders Liverpool before Jurgen Klopp s men entertain Everton …
Alessandro Florenzi has talked up Milan s plans to retain the Serie A title, with the club seeking a 20th league crown that would see them add a second star to their badge.
The San Siro side have had a single gold star on their crest since 1979, following their 10th Scudetti win, and last season s triumph took their overall tally to 19 – with only Juventus winning more.
Milan have won just two league titles since the turn of the millennia, however, and have not successfully retained the league since three consecutive title-winning seasons from 1991-92 to 1993-94.
Florenzi, who joined on loan from Roma last year before making his switch permanent in June, is keen for that to change as he outlined the club s plans to retain the title in the forthcoming campa…
Competition: Premier League
Market: West Ham to beat Bournemouth
Odds:
The Premier League is back for even more incredibly exciting action as the league continues to simmer away nicely. Every side in the division will be desperate to pick up all three points from their game this weekend, and with this in mind, West Ham host Bournemouth on Saturday.
West Ham have been in very good form of late and they are putting some serious ground between themselves and the relegation zone. After 23 matches they have won six, drawn seven and lost 10 times, while they have scored 29 times, conceding 41 goals along the way. In their last five games they have won twice, drawn twice and lost once, which has seen them onto 25 points for the season so far. Consider…
Arjen Robben is in no hurry to sign a new contract at Bayern Munich despite only having one year left on his current deal.
Robben s 2015-16 campaign was blighted by injury problems, meaning he was only able to make 21 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga champions.
Despite his lack of action, club president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed the 32-year-old will be offered fresh terms.
However, the Netherlands international is focused on returning stronger than ever before ahead of next season.
The most important thing is to be fit for the start [of pre-season training] in the mid of July, he is quoted as saying by Kicker.
I am doing fine and I guess I have good chances to make the first-team training.
I don t thin…
Brazil international striker Leandro Damiao has thanked Tottenham Hotspur for showing a recurring interest in him, but insists that he is happy to stay at Internacional, .
Damiao, who made his international debut for Brazil against Scotland at the Emirates Stadium in March 2011, has been linked with several of Europe s top clubs over the past two seasons, with Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur the most notable interested parties.
Spurs have had a number of bids for the 23-year-old Brazilian rejected by Internacional in recent months.
Once again, the north London club were unable to successfully negotiate a deal for their target front-man in January.
Following Spurs 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on Sunday, Spurs manager An…
FIFA has committed to using biological profiling at both the 2014 World Cup and this year s Confederations Cup to combat doping in football.
FIFA has committed to using biological profiling at both the 2014 World Cup and this year s Confederations Cup to combat doping in football.
President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) John Fahey claimed earlier this week that the game was not doing enough to test for the blood-boosting agent EPO, after it was revealed that only one in four players would be given a blood test during World Cup qualifiers.
After meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter earlier this week to discuss the problem, Fahey revealed the commitment made by the sport s governing body, and praised their willingness to take action against the problem.
He t…
Barcelona and Real Madrid face a new threat of disruption at the season s first Clasico after pro-Catalan independence activists targeted the Camp Nou for protests.
The Tsunami Democratic protest group, which is run by anonymous leaders and mobilises followers by means including social media, has called on its supporters to head to four meeting points close to Barcelona s stadium at 4pm local time on December 18.
That is four hours before kick-off in the biggest match of the LaLiga season so far, which was moved from October 26 to its December date following civil unrest in Catalonia.
Tsunami Democratic says more than 18,000 supporters have already committed to joining its protest, including many who have tickets to the Clasico and members known as socios of h…
Everton have the signing of Jonas Lossl on a free transfer from Huddersfield Town. The goalkeeper will officially move to Goodison Park on July 1st and is set to serve as a worthy backup option for England international Jordan Pickford.
The 30-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Terriers at the end of which the club got relegated to the Championship. He made 31 appearances in the Premier League in 2018/19. Before signing for Huddersfield, he played for FC Midtjylland and Mainz 05. He moved to the John Smith Stadium initially on loan from the Bundesliga side, and the deal was made permanent last summer.
The arrival of Lossl to Merseyside will likely spell the end of the road for Everton s current backup shot-stopper, 36-year-old Marten Stekelenburg, who still …